School fire results in 5 days in jail

WISCONSIN RAPIDS - A former John Edwards High School student suspected of setting a fire in a restroom at the school pleaded guilty Wednesday to a reduced charge.

Sierra Ratliff, 18, who moved to Weston since the fire in the Port Edwards school Nov. 25, 2015, was sentenced to five days in jail with credit for three days already served for a charge of felony criminal damage to property. The charge was reduced from a charge of arson.

Wood County Circuit Judge Nicholas Brazeau Jr. also placed Ratliff on three years of probation and ordered her to perform 100 hours of community service and pay $8,912.04 restitution. Brazeau said he would consider erasing the Ratliff's record if she successfully meets all of the conditions.

According to court documents, Ratliff was seen on a surveillance video coming out of a girls' restroom at the school intermediately before reports of a fire there Nov. 25, 2015. A Port Edwards officer spoke with Ratliff and found a pink lighter inside a purple folder in her locker, according to the documents. After he confronted her with the evidence, , according to documents.

Ratliff was still young, 17, when she started the fire, but it could have had significant consequences, Wood County Assistant District Attorney Michael Zell said. Ratliff had no criminal record before the fire, which is why Zell said he agreed to the reduced charge.

"Hopefully, she's learned a very valuable lesson," Zell said.

Ratliff's attorney, David Dickmann, said Ratliff still isn't quite sure why she started the fire, but it is something she needs to find out, possibly with help from counseling. Ratliff's aunt has allowed Ratliff to move in with her and has been doing a good job of helping Ratliff by getting her to court appointments, to school and work, Dickmann said.

Brazeau said Ratliff could serve the remaining two days of her sentence over a weekend. He also told Ratliff the best way for Ratliff to impress him and get him to erase the record is to make a serious effort to pay the restitution. Brazeau said he has too many defendants come back before him who have made no effort at all to pay restitution.

You can contact reporter Karen Madden at 715-424-7308, or follow her on Twitter @KMadden715.